Stand-By

Setting: A crowded departure concourse for a broken, underfunded train system in an improving, but problematic city train station. The subject: A mother.

10 minute delay.

Sane. Okay. Calm.

20 minute delay.

Still sane. Still calm. Awaiting further instruction from the “DepartureVision” gods.

30 minute delay.

Rushing to get a Milky-Way. Sugar helps. Kids waiting at home. No one there.

40 minute delay.

$17 one-way for this? Sit down a bit. Call Bobby. Call Sarah. Calm them, not you, you selfish mess. Call to tell them Mommy’s running late. Pray that they aren’t being destroyed (kidnapped, harmed, robbed, etc) or they’re destroying the house. 

50 minute delay.

Tell the kids I’ll never return. The Uber backlog is too great. I’ll Zelle them my pay and communicate through the phone. Better buy a portable charger. I’ll need to find a place to stay in the city. I should’ve listened to Sarah about going to that Town Hall to complain about this train service and fare hike. I shoulda seen this coming. But you always let your children cloud your mind to the point where you forget about yourself. Like what-

Uh. That’s normal.

You want me to be convicted of child abandonment?

Well you abandoned yourself.

Because I’m a mother at heart. Gave up

Yes but be sure to mother yourself too. Don’t, and you’ll be like Matilda’s mother.

I always loved Roald Dahl's books.

Great diversion/coping mechanism.

Train #33033 set to depart at Track 3. Please proceed for boarding.

Well run mother RUN.